LOW Water Levels

[Guest Wes]

On friday I was on the mac (north of university) and there were two guys in the water netting steelies.There were 5 dead fish on shore,so I call the MNR and they said they have NO controll over it.Pisses me off that they dont give a crap about our natural resources getting abused like that.I took care of the situation,let me tell ya those people will not be going near that river for a long time now.

Some one has to do something about this.If you see anything like this on the rivers,dont call MNR they dont care,take care of it your selves.

Thank you. But I hope violence wasn't your solution. I would hate for an individule to get an assult charge for merely trying to protect the fishery. I understand your frustration though.

I have had a few days to reflect on a recent visit to Mcviks. During this outing I photographed a guy that foul hooked a steelhead. He took offense to it. Blah blah blah. Not important. But what is important is the fact I went there to catch someone in the act. I had the blinders on fully intent on catching some wrong doing on digital film. Not even aware of the possibility that someone may be there fishing and trying to legitimately catch steelhead. That was a mistake. We can’t go to a waterway and assume everyone is poaching scumbags. With recent events at Mcviks it is pretty hard to do but there may actually be some respectable people down there. So if you are going to confront someone, make damn sure you have seen what you think you have seen.

I saw the yarn fly on the side of it’s gill plate, and not in the mouth so I snapped the shot and waited for the release. I also snapped a shot of another guy who snagged one at the same time. This person, however was very disappointed that it broke off. Steelhead 1, Poacher 0. Actually in the grand scheme, I think the poachers are winning this game.

To the guy who took offense, I apologize for assuming you were scum. You did the right thing. And lighten up, it was only a photo, I could have done what others on this site suggest. If you have done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about.

PS, your fish handling skills need vast improvement.

[Guest Swan_Dive]

Sounds like everyone has been able to voice their opinion and alot of good points have been made. I have even learned a few things through all this bickering and have alot of respect for the guys that go out everyday and do the studies. As for people being all over the CO's, they can't be everywhere and that is the same for police, it always seems that they are never there when you need/want them and there are alot more police than CO's. As bad as it is people are always going to take advantage of a situation, wether it is fishing without a license or keeping too many fish or fish hooked inproperly, but the best thing to do is try to educate people and try to get them aware of the situation. There is no point for guys on here to be fighting with eachother about how we need to save one fish over the other, all fish should be a priority and be treated the same. I would expect people to handle a steelhead the same as a brook trout or a walleye or any other fish. We are all here because we love fishing and we love the outdoors, lets stop this arguing and fighting and get back to good ol' conversation! I love coming on this site and reading about different fishing trips and looking at the pictures but with threads like this taking over and people being negative about everything it is starting to make me wonder if it's even worth coming to this site anymore. Lets work together to make our fisheries better so we can all get out and enjoy them!

Jeremy

[Guest Ottis]

Good scientific article on coaster brook trout in the Great Lakes and potential reasons for their decline.

http://flash.lakeheadu.ca/~rmackere/Transf...uckins_etal.pdf

[speckmaster 114]

This thread is painful.

No physical violence,I threatend to shove that net some where they do not want it..LOL.They ran off.I was at the exact spot yesterday,one guy did not get the idea,that guy had some balls to come up to me and say"any fish around".People these days. And that day I got a steelie on(Not foul hooked) and he jumped a few times and broke my new 6 weight fly rod.I wont be steelie fishing any more this year,Ill stick to what Im good at...BROOKIES!

[Guest Beamer]

I may be wrong about this, but didn't the MNR enter into an agreement with OPG to keep the Nipigon River water levels at an agreed upon level that expires each February to ensure that the Brook Trout eggs would be left under water until they hatch? One of the biggest reasons for the Nipigon River Brook Trout decline was fluctuating water levels that left the spawn high and dry. The February deadline was to ensure that the eggs would indeed hatch. Am I right or wrong about this??

Bang on Dan!

Beamer

[Guest Beamer]

Good scientific article on coaster brook trout in the Great Lakes and potential reasons for their decline.

http://flash.lakeheadu.ca/~rmackere/Transf...uckins_etal.pdf

That is a great article! It is ironic that some of the better steelhead rivers also have increasing populations of coasters that now follow steelhead in and feed on their eggs.Each spring I am amazed at the number and size of brooktrout I catch incidentally. Nature will find its own balance, just let it

Beamer

[brookiebuster 117]

This thread is painful.

Sorry I offended anybody,im just pissed off of people taking advantage of our resources.Once their gone,their gone.Im just going to stay away from rivers or steel head threads for the rest of the season.

My appology

Chris

[Guest BannedCore]

Ottis that article was pure education and that is what a healthy debate is supposed to do.

[Monks 164]

Hey

How about those Smallmouths? Sorry thought I would divert some attention and aggression as the regs have changed and they are open season. And of course every "GOOD" angler knows that it is much tougher to catch a bag of solid smallies than a few dirty trout. LOL

Cheers Everyone

The Annual Trout Season is Almost Over.

Low water, NO water or High Water, thankfully the "Great Trout" debate is near the end.

Of course I slag none of you and appreciate that you all care so much for a fishery. Look forwrd to the same tension different issue around the same time next year.

However I am off to better more interesting and better fighting fish, our Glorius Smallmouth.

[Guest Dan]

Hey

How about those Smallmouths? Sorry thought I would divert some attention and aggression as the regs have changed and they are open season. And of course every "GOOD" angler knows that it is much tougher to catch a bag of solid smallies than a few dirty trout. LOL

Cheers Everyone

The Annual Trout Season is Almost Over.

Low water, NO water or High Water, thankfully the "Great Trout" debate is near the end.

Of course I slag none of you and appreciate that you all care so much for a fishery. Look forwrd to the same tension different issue around the same time next year.

However I am off to better more interesting and better fighting fish, our Glorius Smallmouth.

Good point Monks. The annual Steelhead mudsling is almost over. Until next year. Then it will begin once again. I know where these guys are coming from though. I used to live for Steelheading. I'm too busy making a living now to persue it anymore. I don't know where these guys find the time. I certainly don't have it.

I appreciate all of the comments made on this thread. Despite the disagreements, all of your comments mean well. We are all passionate about our species of choice. And thats a good thing. In the long run we are all doing our part to preserve and enhance the best freshwater fishery on the planet.

[Guest TerryK]

Terry I get some of my "facts" from a Biologist who studies Brook Trout, but I guess I should start listening to you as you seem to know more. Also I know how to use google and have read studies that say Brook Trout thrive when there is little or NO competition. As I have posted here before when fishing the tribs and rivers on the north shore as soon as you fish above the barriers the Brook trout population is incredible. I have seen as many as 40 brookies in a single pool above the barriers. When I fish below the barriers I catch an equal amount of steelhead and brookies combined. What more proof does one need to realize that competition hinders the success of the Brook Trout. Science backs me up as does common sense. But you will never admit that helping steelhead hurts Brook Trout. I will say this about NSSA that they do good things overall and we do need to have more people who care about conservation and preservation.

Lol, I was waiting for the "biologist card"

No matter what you say, there is ZERO scientific evidence to support your wildly speculative claims. I willing to bet that you won't find a single biologist that will confirm your claim of 200 day gestation period for Brook Trout eggs.

For the record, I have never once said that rainbows don't effect Brook Trout, but....show me scientific proof they do and I'll happily eat a nice sit down dinner of crow!

[Guest Beamer]

Hey

How about those Smallmouths? Sorry thought I would divert some attention and aggression as the regs have changed and they are open season. And of course every "GOOD" angler knows that it is much tougher to catch a bag of solid smallies than a few dirty trout. LOL

Cheers Everyone

The Annual Trout Season is Almost Over.

Low water, NO water or High Water, thankfully the "Great Trout" debate is near the end.

Of course I slag none of you and appreciate that you all care so much for a fishery. Look forwrd to the same tension different issue around the same time next year.

However I am off to better more interesting and better fighting fish, our Glorius Smallmouth.

Ah just wait we are just getting to Brooktrout, then the fun begins

Beamer

[Castnblast 86]

...somebody please kill this thread.

Lets talk bass gear. Whats hot, whats not! Or, hey, how bout those Habs????

[naden 136]

Yes this thread is getting worn out!